Electrical contact means



Jan. 10, H A DGUGLAS 2,143,650

ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS Filed Feb. 26, 1935 l l l f,

Irlag A-Dou31as I. N vLNToK Patented Jan. 10, 1.939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS Harry A. Douglas, Bronson, Mich., asaignor to 1 Kingston Producti Corporation, a corporation of Indiana Application February 26, 1935, Serial No. 8,314

Claims.

tration, one form which my invention may as' sume. In theV drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of my invention, as it may be embodied in an electric switch,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional fragmentary view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with certain parts in elevation,

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the parts shown in Figure 2, with a fragment of the base of the switch shown in section,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 5 is a detail elevational view of parts, disassembled, included in a contact means shown in Figure l.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, a panel I0 has mounted thereon a switch casing II, of cup-shape, having a bottom I2 and a tubular portion I3 extending therefrom. Fastened to the bottom I2 in any suitable manner is a threaded nipple I4, extending through an aperture in the panel III, and engaged by a. nut I5. An operating shaft I6 is disposed through the nipple'lil and is provided at one end with an operating handle Il. At the other end the shaft I 8 is provided with a laterally extending member I8 drivingly connected in any suitable manner to an insulating carrier I9.

The insulating carrier I9 is here shown as provided with an electrical contact having a depression 2I in engagement with which is shown a contact means 22.

The contact means 22 is recprocably mounted in an insulating base 23. The base 28 is of suitable conflguration to be received by the open end of the casing II and may be fastened to the casing in any suitable manner (not shown).

The insulating base 23 is here shown as provided with a boss 24 in which is provided an aperture 25 adapted to receive the contact means 22. Figure 4, is generally of oblong shape. It will be observed that it is the longer section oi' the aperture 25 that is visible in Figure 1, Figures The aperture 25, as may be seen best in (Cl. 20D-166) 2 and 3 being at right angles to Figure 1 and Figure 4 being at right angles to Figure 3. The corners of the aperture 25 are formed by straight sided fillets 26, thereby making the aperture 25 generally octagonal in shape. The aperture 25 is countersunk by a recess 21, of a diameter less than that of the boss 24, which recess extends from the inner face of the insulating base 23 up to the plane in which the boss 24 joins the outer face of the base 28.

1 f The contact means 22 is provided with a tubular portion 28, the body of which is shaped in cross-sectional outline to conform to the crosssectional shape of the aperture 25. The tubular portion 28 has at one end thereof an annular u bead or collar 28 merging at one side thereof with a closure 38 extending transversely across the tubular portion 28 and forming a contact vface adapted to cooperatewith the contact depression 2i. At the other end of the tubular 20 portion 28 of the contact means 22 is provided a loop 3| forming an aperture extending transversely to the axis of the tubular portion 28. The aperture formed by the loop 3I is adapted to receive the terminal portion 40 of an electrical g5 conductor, and in this instance, the conductor vterminal 40 is adapted to be held in the aperture of the loop 3I by means of a detent element 32. The detent element 32 is desirably constructed of a piece of sheet metal bent to U-shaped form.

f legs 33, 34 of the U-shaped detent element are of such width and spaced such distance that they may be slidably disposed within the tubular portion 28. The bight of the U-shaped detent may be formed with a curved or hemlspherical 35 directed shoulders 36, 3l formed at the junction 40 between the loop 3I and the tubular portion 28. The detent 32 is biased toward the shoulders 36, 3l by means of a helical spring 38 having one end thereof bearing against the inner side of the bight of the U-shaped detent 32 and the other 45 end against the inside surface of the end closure 30 of the tubular portion 28. The loop 3l and the detent 32 provide a terminal means of the snap type.

The contact means 22 is biased toward the rela- 50 tively movable element comprising the insulating carrier I9 and the contacts carried thereby, by means of a helical spring 39, which surrounds the tubular portion 28, is disposed within the recess 21, and has one end bearing against the v furrow 42 and a conical tip 43.

bottom of the recess 21 and the other against `Athe collar 29.

The conductor terminal 40, here shown as cooperating with the snap terminal 3i, 32, includes a cylindrical portion 4I, provided with an annular The terminal 40 is swedged to the electrical conductor disposed therein, as indicated by the swedge indentations 44. The conductor terminal 40 cooperates with the snap .terminals 3|. 32 on the contact means 22 in a manner, such as will be evident to those skilled in the art.

As herein disclosed the contact means 22 is integrally formed of a single piece of sheet metal, the tubular portion 28 being formed in two halves 45, 46 joined at their ends by an initially fiat piece of metal which, when the halves 45, 46 are bent toward each other, will form the loop 3i.

The halves 45, 4B of the tubular portion 28 when brought together in registry, form a tubular element split on the line 41, 48.

When it is desired to assemble the contact means 22, the halves 45, 46 are brought to approximately the position shown in Figure 5,the detent element 32 is inserted between the halves 45, 46, with the spring 38 disposed between the legs 33, 34 of the detent element, and then the halves 45, 46 are moved toward each other to bring the parts to the position shown in Figure l. The spring 39 is then slipped over the tubular portion 28. The base 23 being not yet assembled with the casing I I, the tubular portion 28 is then inserted through the aperture 25, the spring 39 seating itself in the recess 27.

Another contact means 49 has been indicated, and this contact means is cooperable with the contact carrier I9 and contacts which may be mounted thereon in a manner the same as has been described in connection with the contact means 22. It will be understood that the contact carrying member I9 vmay be provided with depressions (not shown), similar to the depressions 2i in the contact 20, cooperable with a contact surface such as that of the end closure 30 of the contact means 22, in positions of the contact carrying member I9 where it is desired to interrupt an electrical circuit inwhich the contact means 22 and the contact 20 may be included.

The contact means 49 is cooperable also with a conductor terminal 50, in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with the conductor terminal 4Q.

The form and disposition of the contacts, such as 20 on the relatively movable element of the switch, and the number of contact means such as 22, 49 is not material, as far as the present invention is concerned, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that any desired arrangement may be adopted which will permit of performance of the desired switching operations when the handle I1 is turned.

In view of the foregoing it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention may be embodied in other constructions wherein the relatively movable elements may cooperate in ways other than that disclosed and may assume a variety of forms, variously changed and modiiied within the spirit of the invention.

In general it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the features of my invention need not all be used in one embodiment, and may be individually or collectively variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacricing all of the advantages thereof, and accordingly that the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and that my is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. Electrical connection means, comprising: loop means, bent from sheet metal stock, and constructed and arranged to iorm an aperture for the reception of a conductor terminal a tubular portion formed by parts integral with said loop means; means, 'disposed in said tubular portion, constructed and arranged to bias a conductor terminal receivable in said aperture against a wall of said aperture; and -contact means, adapted for engagement with bridge means of an electric switch, and formed by parts integral with said tubular portion.

2. Electrical connection means, comprising: a body. formed of sheet metalstock, and having an integral loop bent to form an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having also a tubular portion and electrical contact means, said tubular portion being formed by two complementary juxtaposed parts, each part being integral with a respective leg of said loop, and said contact means being formed by two complementary juxtaposed parts, each being integral with a respective tubular portion part; and biasing means disposed within said tubular portion, and constructed and arranged to yieldably engage a conductor terminal disposed within said aperture.

3. Electrical connection means, comprising: a

invention body formed of sheet metal, and comprising a loop A bent to form an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, each of the legs of said loop being bent in cross-section to form complementary parts, said parts, when in juxtaposition, forming a tubular portion and a contact portion, one end of said tubular portion communicating with said aperture and the other end of said tubular portion being closed off by said contact portion; and biasing means disposed within said tubular portion, constructed and arranged to have one end in cooperating relation with said aperature. and its other end bearing against said contact portion.

4. Electrical connection means-comprising: a body, formed of a single piece of sheet-metal, said body having a loop at one end, providing an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having a channel-shaped part extending fromeach leg of the loop, the channel-shaped parts being in juxtaposed relation to provide a tubular portion, and said body having hollow contact means at its opposite end formed by juxtaposed integral portions extending respectively from said channel-shaped parts.

5. Electrical connection means,l comprising: a body, formed of a single piece of sheet-metal, said body having a loop at one end, providing an aperture for receiving a. conductor terminal, and havmg a channel-shaped part extending from each leg of the loop, the channel-shaped parts being 1n juxtaposed relation to provide a tubular portion, and said body having contact means at its opposite end formed by juxtaposed integral portions extending respectively irom said channelshaped parts;v and biasing means, disposed within said body, constructed and arranged to cooperate with a conductor terminal disposed within the loop; the juxtaposed parts and portions of said body being movable away from each other to provide an opening for inserting said biasing means to assembled position within the body.

6. Electrical connection means, adapted to be assembled with" an apertured support, comprising: a body, disposable in the support aperture,

and formed from a single piece of sheet-metal, said body having a loop at one end, providing an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having a channel-shaped part extending from each leg of the loop, the channel-shaped parts being in juxtaposed relation to provide a tubular portion, and said channel-shaped parts having continuations constructed and arranged to close oi the opposite end of said body; biasing means, disposed within said body, constructed and arranged to cooperate with a conductor terminal disposed Within said loop; the juxtaposed parts of said body being separable to provide an opening for inserting said biasing means to assembled position Within ysaid body; and biasing means, disposed about said body, and opposing separation of said juxtaposed parts, said biasing means being constructed and arranged to engage a. portion of said body and a vportion of the support, when said body is assembled with said support, to urge said body in one direction with respect to the support.

'7. Electrical connection means, comprising: a support, having a non-circular aperture; a body, formed of sheet-metal stock, having a loop bent to form an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having also a tubularY portion formed by two complementary juxtaposed parts, each part being integral with a respective leg of said loop; said tubular portion being noncircular in cross-section, and of a size to slidably extend through said support aperature, the walls of said tubular portion engaging the margin of said support aperture to hold said body against rotation; resilient means, disposed within said tubular portion, constructed and arranged to yieldably engage a conductor terminal within said loop; and additional resilient means, disposed about said body, and interposed between a part of said body and a surface of said support, for urging said body in a predetermined direction with respect to said support. v

8. Electrical connection means, comprising: a support, having a non-circular aperture; a body, formed of sheet-metal stock, having a loop bent to form an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and having also a tubular portion of non-circular transverse section formed by two complementary juxtaposed parts, each part being integral with a respective leg ot said loop; con- 3 tact means, of generally circular transverse section, formed by complementary parts integral with said tubular portion parts; said loop and said tubular portion being of a size to slidably extend through said support aperture, the walls of said tubular portion engaging the margin of said support aperture to hold said body against rotation, and said contact means being of a size greater than the size of said support aperture; said body being so assembled with said support that said loop is on one side of said body and said contact means is on the other side; resilient means, disposed within said tubular portion, having one end bearing against the inner surface of said contact means, and the other end in position to engage a conductor terminal in said loop;

and additional resilient means, disposed about said body, and being interposed between said contact means and the adjacent surface of said support, for urging said contact Vmeans in a direction away from said surface.

9. Electrical connection means, comprising: a plurality of connected portions, so constructed and arranged to provide a tubular body having one end substantially closed, and having an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal spaced from said one end; and biasing means, disposed within said body, and bearing against said one end, said biasing means being constructed and arranged to yieldably engage a conductor terminal in said body aperture; said portions of said body being movable with respect to each other, to provide an opening for inserting said biasing means to assembled position within said body.

10. Electrical connection means, comprising: a plurality of connected portions, so constructed and arranged to provide a tubular body having one end substantially! closed, and having an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal spaced from said one end; biasing means, disposed within said body, and bearing against said one end, said biasing means being constructed and arranged to yieldably engage a conductor terminal in said body aperture; said portions of said body being movable with respect to each other, to provide an opening for inserting said biasing means to assembled position within said body; and means disposed about said body, opposing opening movement of said body portions.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. l0 

